‘We offer all of our of residents courses in qigong - an ancient Chinese exercise routine that integrates physical posture and breathing techniques,’ says Jose Alfonso, manager of the new Wadswick Green retirement village in Wiltshire, where new two-bedroom apartments cost £360,000.

Pamela Wheatley, 86 and a former primary school teacher, swears by qigong. She lives in Somerleigh Court retirement village, near Dorchester, and finds that qigong classes give her the sense of camaraderie she enjoyed when playing team sports in her youth. ‘It makes you listen and concentrate, and you get a sense of all sharing the same objective,’ she says.

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Non-contact exercises such as qigong, tai chi and yoga help to protect against loss of bone mass, so reducing the risk of osteoporosis. They improve muscle tone, assist circulation and improve digestion.

They also help with mobility problems - common among elderly people and a major cause of loss of confidence and unhappiness.

Healing: Many retirement villages, such as Richmond Village in Painswick, offer Chinese exercises

Philomena Dickinson, 85, of McCarthy & Stone’s Queen Elizabeth Court in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, had a few falls a year ago. When her family recommended tai chi and yoga, she signed up for an hour session of each every week.

‘I have found these classes extremely educative,’ she says. ‘We learn about controlling our muscles and our breathing. I sleep better and my walking has improved.’

Yoga-style exercise routines have several practical advantages over more conventional keep-fit classes. They stimulate the mind, require no specialist kit and can be attempted by nearly everyone.

Susan Case, 74, who lives in Richmond Village in Painswick, Gloucester, used to ride, ice-skate and play tennis.

Now, she incorporates tai chi into a general fitness programme. ‘I have trouble with my balance, so I do tai chi seated,’ says Susan. ‘It keeps me supple.’